School district invites community to join in centennial celebration

Tuesday

Jan 26, 2010 at 12:01 AM

The Edinburg Consolidated ISD culminates its “Legacy of Learning” with its Community Centennial Day celebration at Cats Stadium on Saturday, Jan. 30, from noon to 9 p.m.

The day will include performances from nearly every corner of the district. Cano-Gonzalez elementary will kick off the celebration with their Ocelots dancers, followed by their Tappers, Cheer Squad and Jazzers.

ECISD will also unveil a 100-piece birthday cake to celebrate the District’s 100th year. Monday, Jan. 25 marked the 100th day of school in the 100th year at ECISD.

Edinburg Schools was born after the Hidalgo County Commissioners Court voted to create Chapin Common School District No. 10, which spanned over 150,897 acres of land.

The first two-room, wood-frame free public school building in Edinburg was built in the summer of 1909, just in time to open up for the very first school year in 1909-1910. It was created where Sacred Heart Church now stands.

The District’s first teachers, Mrs. Nellie Schunior and Mrs. Walter Monroe, taught at a time when student enrollment was just 30 students. Many students rode horseback through cactus and brush to attend, and according to the district a common excuse for being late was “a train was on the track.”

On April 3, 1919, the 36th Texas Legislature approved HB 603, that officially created the initial Edinburg Independent School District (EISD). It wasn’t until May 20, 1926, that what were then known as Common School Districts No. 7 and 8 were consolidated to form what is now called ECISD.

The first superintendent of the newly created Edinburg Independent School District was W.E. Foster and his annual salary was $2,500 and the salary of the Edinburg High School principal was $1,500.